Floating signal



p 1943- v. K. L E c oM'rE 2,328,916

FLOATING SIQNAL Filed Oct. 51; 1942 IN,\(ENTOR /2 242; ma ma: 3; BY 7Patented Sept. 7, 1943 UNITED STATES. PATENTF ()ppwg r FLOATING SIGNALVictor K. Le (Jomte, Hollis, N. Y. Application October 31', 1942 No.464,139 i 6Claims. (cm-4t) tainer has at its bottom en'd'a neck I formedThis invention relates to floating smoke sigintegral with the end of thecontainer. i Thev nals and more particularly to a floating smoke signalfor use by occupants of. a lifeboat to attract the attention of theoccupants of anairplane.

An object of this invention small-size smoke signal of simpleconstruction which can readily be stcwedin a lifeboat and is aninexpensive neck is threaded and a threaded cap it is screwed thereon.-The bottomof the container extends into the ring i2 and rests on thebottom of the casing, the ringhavingas one of its functions to centerthe'container inthecasing.

which upon being thrown'into the water immediately assumes an uprightposition with a substantial portion thereof above the water level. i Ingeneral, a smoke signal embodyingthe invention consists of a heat-proofcylindrical casing within which is arranged a container filled withcombustible powder and on the bottom of which is provided suitableballast. -The. size" of the casing is sufilcient that it has enoughbuoyancy to maintain it about two-thirds out of water and the ballast issuitably arranged and heavy enough to keep the casing in upright con- 1dltion. Preferably, the ballast is located along the periphery of thebottom of the casing rather than over the entire casing bottom in orderto obtain maximum stability. Means'are provided for automaticallyignitingthe contents of the container and forming a vent ior the escapeof the products of combustion which, because of the composition of thepowder, produce a suitably colored attention-attracting smoke.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention willbecome apparent-from the. following specification. and accompanyingdrawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a section partly broken away of an embodiment of theinvention;

and

on an enlarged scale.

A casing ill of cylindrical configuration." is

provided at its top end with a threaded neck ll provided a ring I2. 01'heavy'materlal suchffor example, as lead, concrete or other material ofhigh specific gravity. Thering i2 is arranged Theupper end of thecontainer I4 is offset to form a collar i! to which is'mechanically at!tacheda threaded neck |8. A cap i9 is screwed on to the neck II' and isprovided with a central aperture through which the neck i8. projects. Athin metal disk 20 having --an aperture 2i engages the end of the neckiiixand a continuous disk 22'of thin frangible material such, fore:-

on the neck [8 and having a flange between which. and the surface of thecap l9 is-arranged a gasket 24. A cap 25 is threaded on the cap. it andencloses the neck l8 and the parts sup,- V ported thereby.

The cap i9 carries an leads halfway around the collari-l and entersture. The fuse-29 is connected to\a detonator which rests on e powder.wmim v thecontainer'l4. 4

In order to make use of the deviceabovedescribed, the cap is removed andthe wire 21 I .is pulled'through the igniter by means 0! the 4 Fig. 2 isa section on the-line 2-2 ofFig. 1 f

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar-to Fig. 2 40- ;rin8 28, therebyigniting the fuse 29 by means, not shown. The casing is then tossed intothe water in'which it "floats in an. upright position with the neckabove the surface of the water by reasonofthe weight. The iuse leads theflame to; the detonator' 3i,j-'explodes 'aftera pre-. determined length,oftime, and the force of the explosion fractur'esthe disk 22 toprovide-a, vent. The explosion also -ignites the powder v in thecontainer ii to produce smoke which escapes. through the fractured disk,22.- The ar- .---rangement=ottherballastin the form of a ring adjacentthe'vertical wall of the casing and is; 1

held in contact with the bottom or the'casing by any suitable meanssuch, for example, as a rib i3 formed by rolling in a portionof thecasing wall. 3 Within the casing is' arranged a cylindrical container Mof slightly lessdiameter than the 7 interior diameter of the neck ii andthe con-. 55,

--increases the stability 'of the'nare overgthat ,which-it .would'haveif the same weight were spread over the entire bottom of the casing andreduces-the possibilityottheflame being extinguished by wavea, The heatgenerated by the burning or the powder in the container is so great thatthe solder and the like cannot be used to attach the neck i8 to the topof the container ll. Therefore,

igniter 26 having as one of its elements a wire 21, to the cadet whichisattached a'ring 28. From the igniter a fuse 29 the neck is mechanicallyconnected to the top of the container as shown in Fig. 3. The neck I8 isformed at its bottom with an inwardly'directed flange 32 and the top ofthe container is formed with a return bend having an outwardly extendingflange 33. The flanges are rolled together mechanically-undersufiicient' pressure to provide a heat-proof seal which will withstandthe temperature to which it is subjected. T

The particular construction of the igniter, fuse and detonator forms nopart of this invention and, therefore, is neither shown nor described indetail. Any suitable means for igniting the powder in the container I4may be used and the neck l5 provides a large opening through whichcombustible powder may be quickly introduced into the container tofacilitate filling the same.

I claim:

1. A floating smoke signal comprising a casing having a threaded neck atone end, a powder container within said casing extending into the easingneck, a separate threaded neck member for said container projectingbeyond said casing neck, a mechanical heat-proof seal between said neckmember and said container, a cap threaded 1 characterized by a mass ofhigh specific gravity material in the bottom of said casing.

3. A floating smoke signal according to claim 1 characterized by a loopof high specific gravity material on the bottom of said casing adjacentthe casing periphery.

4. A floating smoke signal comprising a casing having a threaded neck atone end, a powder container within said casing extending into the casingneck, a separate threaded neck member for said container projectingbeyond said casing neck; the material of the container being formed witha return bend around the periphery of the aperture and the material atthe bottom of the member being formed with-a return bend co-t operatingwith the container return bend, said bends being mechanically pressedtogether to form a heat-proof seal between the container and neckmember, a cap threaded onto said casing neck and having an aperturethrough which said container member extends, and means clamping togethersaid cap and container neck member.

5. A floating smoke signal according to claim 4 characterized by a massof high specific gravity on to said casing neck and having an aperturethrough which said container neck extends, and means clamping togethersaid cap and container neck.

2. A floating smoke signal according to claim material in the bottom ofsaid casing.

6. A floating sinoke signal according to claim 4 characterized by a loopof high specific gravity material on the bottom of said casing adjacentthe casing periphery.

' VICTOR K. LE COMTE.

